my family was my first bully
by SylviaBronte
Summary: "Were you ever bullied in school?" / Bobbi raises an eyebrow and turns to look at Lance when he speaks. He's lying on his side, watching her and waiting for a response. She can't imagine why he's bringing something like this up now, though she knew he was probably jonesing for a pity party. / "No, I wasn't. Not in school."


**AN: Also posted on Archive of Our Own. I'm only really publishing this because it's been a really long time since I've actually finished anything, and this has just been sitting in Google Docs for a few months without me really doing anything with it. I was gonna do a series of Lancebob ficlets based on tweets from the 'Six Word Story' Twitter, but I only ever did this one before I got bored with the idea. So, enjoy? I guess?**

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"Were you ever bullied in school?"

Bobbi raises an eyebrow and turns to look at Lance when he speaks. He's lying on his side, watching her and waiting for a response. She can't imagine why he's bringing something like this up now, though she knew he was probably jonesing for a pity party.

"No, I wasn't. Not in school." she answers after a short while, raising an eyebrow. "Were you?"

"Yeah…" Lance nods slowly. "I was, it somehow got out that I was in care. Didn't last too long, seeing as I always retaliated pretty violently."

He takes a moment to think about what she said after he finishes talking, and furrows his brow. "What do you mean, 'not in school'?"

Bobbi takes a deep breath.

"You know about my dad, don't you?"

"I know that he's a sexist asshole with his dick so far up his own-" Lance abruptly stops when she gives him a stern look, and mutters an apology.

"My family was my first bully." she begins to explain, slowly. "Mom wasn't really around, so he mostly raised me and my younger brothers. He didn't really take me seriously like he would with the boys, I was more to be… you know, seen and not heard. They were the ones allowed to be boisterous and run around playing… I had to learn how to cook, do all the housework… just because I was the girl. Because of the way I had to be, and the way Dad treated me, the boys didn't have much respect for me either.

I wasn't even allowed to play soccer with them, and I had to pretty much fight 24/7 for him to take my opinions seriously. And Mom said that she knew that the way Dad treated me was wrong, but it's not like she ever did anything about it. He was pretty pissed when the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. thing came about, needless to say. But by then I'd already told him to shove it and I'd started doing things I wanted to do. Hell, he didn't even want me to go to college , but I still went and studied biochem.

They made me feel like I didn't matter as much as they did, all because I was a girl. Even now, if I meet up with my brothers they'll make sexist jokes. I kinda just have to grin and bear it, but I never see my dad."

The pair of them are completely silent for a minute or so, and Lance reaches out under the covers to take her hands in his own. They look into each other's eyes, neither quite knowing what they're searching for until Lance finally speaks up.

"Your dad's a dick." he says bluntly without a trace of apology on his face. Bobbi can't help but smile at that.

"Yeah, I know."

"I guess that's why you don't see him, then. And why you're so big on your feminism stuff."

"Right." Bobbi nods.

"Now I'm really glad we didn't invite anyone to the first wedding."

"Me too. Family always complicate things."

"Hartley was pretty pissed at her lack of an invite, though."

"I don't really know what she was expecting. I mean, we eloped . That's not something you're really supposed to tell people about until after it's happened." Bobbi smiles, and shrugs her shoulders. She turns her head back to look up at the ceiling. "If she was still here, she'd be the maid of honour."

Lance rolls onto his back and lets out a longing sigh, though he's smiling too. "And Idaho would be the best man, hands down. I'm pretty sure he'd kill me otherwise."

Bobbi manages a few words of agreement before they both start laughing again, still squeezing each other's hands under the covers. When they stop, she shifts over to curl into his side and he wraps his arm around her.

"Dad's not coming to the wedding. My brothers are fine, just not him."

"That's fine, I don't want him there either. Though I will be pretty tempted to punch your brothers in the face if they say anything."

Bobbi raises an eyebrow, and looks up at him. "You are not punching my brothers. Not on my wedding day."

"Well, technically it's your second wedding day, so-"

"Shut it." Bobbi pauses for a moment, before craning her neck to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, though."

Lance smiles softly. "You do know that I'd never treat our kids like that, don't you?"

"Of course. And neither would I." She finds his hand again, giving it another gentle squeeze. "But I'm glad to hear you say that."

Lance reaches to tilt her chin up with his free hand, and presses a soft kiss to her lips. She sighs, and curls her arms around his neck before coming to rest her head on his chest. He begins to slowly rub her back in small circles, and as her breathing evens out she hears him murmur,

"He was wrong about you, Bob. And you never have to see him again now." A pause. "I love you."

She smiles weakly, and snuggles in closer. "Love you more."


End file.
